ST. PAUL, Minn. January 4, 2012 — Has your workplace announced a reorganization or other changes? If so, you may be holding your breath hoping that it will all work out OK. Instead, take a few deep breaths and put your confidence into four crucial core values. Research done in organizations indicates that employees who approach change with honesty, trust, hard work, and hope bring about desired innovations.
Does the following situation sound familiar?
Your organization announces major organizational changes in December. You know these will come be a reality in 2012; yet are not too sure about them. You return to your desk after the holidays and try to make sense of the new directions. You now have a new supervisor, team members, and added responsibilities.
Do more than survive. Even thrive.
How do I succeed while in the midst of change?
Research done by Dr. Paul Light indicates that successful innovation and change rest on a foundation of four core values of organizational life: Honesty, trust, rigor, and hard work; faith and hope are also essential.
The values are common sense and yet may be uncommon in practice.
Thrive by staying authentic (honest, trusting, hard working, and hopeful) while fostering innovation and change.
How might this play out within a work team?
Management may focus intently on setting direction. While this is vital, it needs to be coupled with a focus on values to begin and sustain the change. Workers wonder and worry about new expectations. What behaviors will be acceptable and which may put an employee at risk?
A governmental group in St. Paul is undergoing a scenario as described above. They came together in a work session in late December. Team members expressed how challenging it is to hold onto these values given changing circumstances, some which are unwanted. Yet, they are invigorated to begin anew.
Team work
Coupling the organizational change with core values will help a work team succeed.
What are the core values?
These values provide a crucial context for effective assessment, learning, and action in pursuit of organizational goals. The four values are:
Honesty
Willingness to tell the truth (no surprises)
Clearly communicating about reality (no spinning
Inviting risk and tolerating mistakes (let go and forgive)
Trust
Believing in the people (assume the best)
Pushing authority downward (democratizing)
Calling for new ideas (great ones may come from anyone)
Listening and learning (not repeating mistakes)
Lowering barriers to internal collaboration (make it work)
Rigor and Hard Work
Working hard and strategically building mission into systems (one step at a time)
Hard-nosed forecasting (what is coming next)
Measuring results (how are we progressing)
Celebrating success (applaud small wins)
Faith and Hope
Moving or leaping beyond known experience (try it out)
Believing in self in the winds of change (stay positive and eager)
Why does it matter?
The best thought-through plans help launch change. People who make the change ask important questions, challenge forms and processes, and bring in a new way of working. Don’t mistake this active involvement with lack of support for change. Instead, recognize the core values that sustain innovation and change.
Please Comment: What are your experiences with organizational change? What values foster it? What hampers it?
Sources: Sustaining Innovation: Creating Non Profit and Government Organizations that Innovate Naturally, Paul C. Light, Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 1998
Implementing and Sustaining Your Strategic Plan, John Bryson, S.R. Anderson, & F. Alston; by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011
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Donna Rae is an award winning writer, consultant, planner, facilitator, and coach. She holds the coveted ‘Futures’ award was named an Outstanding Faculty member at the University of Minnesota. She has co-authored five books and numerous articles.
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